package java.security.cert;

import java.security.InvalidAlgorithmParameterException;
import java.util.Collection;

/**
 * The <i>Service Provider Interface</i> (<b>SPI</b>)
 * for the {@link CertStore CertStore} class. All <code>CertStore</code>
 * implementations must include a class (the SPI class) that extends
 * this class (<code>CertStoreSpi</code>), provides a constructor with
 * a single argument of type <code>CertStoreParameters</code>, and implements 
 * all of its methods. In general, instances of this class should only be
 * accessed through the <code>CertStore</code> class. 
 * For details, see the Java Cryptography Architecture.<br />
 * <br />
 * <b>Concurrent Access</b><br />
 * <br />
 * The public methods of all <code>CertStoreSpi</code> objects must be 
 * thread-safe. That is, multiple threads may concurrently invoke these 
 * methods on a single <code>CertStoreSpi</code> object (or more than one) 
 * with no ill effects. This allows a <code>CertPathBuilder</code> to search 
 * for a CRL while simultaneously searching for further certificates, for 
 * instance.<br />
 * <br />
 * Simple <code>CertStoreSpi</code> implementations will probably ensure
 * thread safety by adding a <code>synchronized</code> keyword to their
 * <code>engineGetCertificates</code> and <code>engineGetCRLs</code> methods.
 * More sophisticated ones may allow truly concurrent access.
 **/
public abstract class CertStoreSpi
	extends Object
{

	/**
	 * The sole constructor.
	 *
	 * @param params the initialization parameters (may be <code>null</code>)
	 * @exception InvalidAlgorithmParameterException if the initialization
	 * parameters are inappropriate for this <code>CertStoreSpi</code>
	 */
    public CertStoreSpi( CertStoreParameters params )
	throws InvalidAlgorithmParameterException {}

	/**
	 * Returns a <code>Collection</code> of <code>Certificate</code>s that
	 * match the specified selector. If no <code>Certificate</code>s
	 * match the selector, an empty <code>Collection</code> will be returned.<br />
	 * <br />
	 * For some <code>CertStore</code> types, the resulting
	 * <code>Collection</code> may not contain <b>all</b> of the
	 * <code>Certificate</code>s that match the selector. For instance,
	 * an LDAP <code>CertStore</code> may not search all entries in the
	 * directory. Instead, it may just search entries that are likely to
	 * contain the <code>Certificate</code>s it is looking for.<br />
	 * <br />
	 * Some <code>CertStore</code> implementations (especially LDAP
	 * <code>CertStore</code>s) may throw a <code>CertStoreException</code>
	 * unless a non-null <code>CertSelector</code> is provided that includes
	 * specific criteria that can be used to find the certificates. Issuer
	 * and/or subject names are especially useful criteria.
	 *
	 * @param selector A <code>CertSelector</code> used to select which
	 *  <code>Certificate</code>s should be returned. Specify <code>null</code>
	 *  to return all <code>Certificate</code>s (if supported).
	 *
	 * @return A <code>Collection</code> of <code>Certificate</code>s that
	 *         match the specified selector (never <code>null</code>)
	 *
	 * @exception CertStoreException if an exception occurs 
	 */
    public abstract Collection engineGetCertificates( CertSelector selector )
	throws CertStoreException;

	/**
	 * Returns a <code>Collection</code> of <code>CRL</code>s that
	 * match the specified selector. If no <code>CRL</code>s
	 * match the selector, an empty <code>Collection</code> will be returned.<br />
	 * <br />
	 * For some <code>CertStore</code> types, the resulting
	 * <code>Collection</code> may not contain <b>all</b> of the
	 * <code>CRL</code>s that match the selector. For instance,
	 * an LDAP <code>CertStore</code> may not search all entries in the
	 * directory. Instead, it may just search entries that are likely to
	 * contain the <code>CRL</code>s it is looking for. <br />
	 * <br />
	 * Some <code>CertStore</code> implementations (especially LDAP 
	 * <code>CertStore</code>s) may throw a <code>CertStoreException</code> 
	 * unless a non-null <code>CRLSelector</code> is provided that includes 
	 * specific criteria that can be used to find the CRLs. Issuer names 
	 * and/or the certificate to be checked are especially useful.
	 *
	 * @param selector A <code>CRLSelector</code> used to select which
	 *  <code>CRL</code>s should be returned. Specify <code>null</code>
	 *  to return all <code>CRL</code>s (if supported).
	 *
	 * @return A <code>Collection</code> of <code>CRL</code>s that
	 *         match the specified selector (never <code>null</code>)
	 *
	 * @exception CertStoreException if an exception occurs 
	 */
    public abstract Collection engineGetCRLs( CRLSelector selector )
	throws CertStoreException;
}

